Electronic music really entered the mainstream when this new sound called New Wave took the world by storm!

New Wave is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s pop music. New Wave, as a term, has been used to describe all post-punk rock music, yet, it distances itself from other post-punk movements as it displays characteristics common to pop music, rather than the more "arty" post-punk.As a genre, it incorporates much of the original punk rock sound and ethos, such as an emphasis on short and punchy songs, yet, it is characterized by greater complexity in both music and lyrics. Common characteristics of New Wave music, aside its punk influences, include the usage of synthesizers and electronic productions, the importance of styling and the arts, as well as a great amount of diversity. As a term, New Wave is often used to describe music which was quirky and eccentric, yet also catchy and pop at heart, incorporating clear melodious hooks. In such a way, its style varies greatly, ranging from 1950s and 60s rock revivalism, ska and reggae-styled music, to synthpop-oriented dance.New Wave is seen as one of the definitive genres of the 1980s; at the time, it enjoyed commercial success as several of the major artists and groups of the time were labelled New Wave. The genre became a fixture on MTV, and the popularity of several New Wave artists has been partially attributed to the exposure that was given to them by the channel. Despite commercial success in the 1980s, it was criticised by some at the time for its particular style and music. The genre started to fade out by c. 1984, yet, it never truly died, and it enjoyed resurgences since the 1990s, after a "nostalgia" for New Wave swept across the music scene, causing several artists to be influenced by the genre. The revivals in the 1990s and early 2000s were small, but became popular by 2004; subsequently, the genre has influenced a variety of music genres.

Chris & Cosey, an offshoot from Throbbing Gristle, in turn launched another side project, CTI to explore their more experimental and textural leanings

Chris & Cosey, now performing as Carter Tutti, are a band formed in 1981, consisting of partners Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti, both previously members of industrial music pioneers Throbbing Gristle.

When Throbbing Gristle broke up in 1981, Carter and Tutti signed with Rough Trade Records and began recording as Chris & Cosey. They recorded four albums for the label using electronics, sampling, Cosey's vocals and cornet playing. In 1983, they formed their own independent record label Creative Technology Institute (aka CTI) to release more experimental works and collaborations. The first CTI projects, Elemental 7 andEuropean Rendezvous, were released through Cabaret Voltaire's DoubleVision label.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the duo worked with a number of independent labels such as Nettwerk (Canada), Play It Again Sam (Belgium),Staalplaat (Netherlands), and Wax Trax! (USA), and World Serpent Distribution (UK). In 1992, for artistic and health reasons, the duo stopped touring and concentrated on studio work. They returned to performing live in 1998, documented on the Union album.

They have collaborated with such artists as Monte Cazazza, Coil, Current 93, John Duncan, Erasure, Eurythmics, Boyd Rice, and Robert Wyatt. Their 1988 Core album is a collection of such collaborations.

Recently, Carter and Tutti have released two ongoing CD series of instrumental music: The Library Of Sound (L.O.S.) and Electronic Ambient Remixes(E.A.R.), currently with four volumes each. The E.A.R. series are remixes of material released solo by Carter or Tutti.

from last.fm:"Sigue Sigue Sputnik is a British Pop-cyberpunk band that achieved moderate fame in the mid- to late 1980s, when the song Love Missile F1-11 hit the pop charts around the world. “Love Missile F1-11“‘s success was due in part to the song’s use in the hit movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Led by former Generation X bassist Tony James, the band created a unique style of new wave music by layering vocals, yelps, guitar riffs, electronic sound effects, and short samples over pulsating synthesizer bass lines."